CLOUDS Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

clouds 1 of 2

noun

plural of cloud

as in shadows

an overspreading element that produces an atmosphere of gloom all day we were under a cloud until we heard the good news

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clouds

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of cloud

as in obscures

to make dark, dim, or indistinct the diner's dark interior, clouded with smoke and grease

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as in confuses

to make (something) unclear to the understanding cloud the issue with obscure statistics

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of clouds

Noun

Seeing an astronaut like Adenot clinging to the space station with the clouds and blue oceans of Earth below puts things into perspective. — Brett Tingley, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026 The region is getting an unusually hot start to September due to a strong area of high pressure that has built over the region, helping suppress clouds and rain and allowing temperatures to climb. — Mike Stunson, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 Pale yellow ribbons weave between clouds; mist swirls with the body of dust. — ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 Charged drops, the team notes in the paper, form naturally in clouds, thunderstorms, ocean waves, fountains, and waterfalls, as well as in industrial processes like electrostatic spraying and inkjet printing. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026 The telescope may even be able to glimpse light reflecting off the tops of clouds on these planets. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 Sunday will be warmer, with a high near 89 and increasing clouds. — The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Sun, 29 Aug. 2026 On occasion, wildfire plumes can generate their own weather, making smoke-laden pyrocumulonimbus clouds, which can inject large amounts of particles into the stratosphere. — Michael A. Robinson, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026 Temperatures are expected to hover around 90 despite the clouds. — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026

Verb

There’s a running joke about the MCU having the most magical water that clouds everything. — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026 The United States’ relationship with its partners in the region also clouds its messaging and invites escalation. — Erik Lin-Greenberg, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2026 Much of the debris that clouds the water in this technique is leftover detergent and fabric softener that build up in fabric fibers over time, according to the article. — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 12 July 2026 The recent explosion of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket on its launch pad in Florida also clouds ULA’s return-to-flight plans for Vulcan. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 7 July 2026 Mamdani has done the same, but Sherman’s own bias against Muslims clouds his judgment. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026 When Kendi began experiencing slight cloudiness in her right eye, veterinarians identified the issue head-on — cataracts, a condition that clouds the eye's lens and can lead to blindness if left untreated. — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 9 June 2026 Ambiguity clouds the conversation and risks leaving your protégé more confused than enlightened. — Chip Bell, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026 Soap scum clouds the shower glass. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clouds

Noun

The group uncovers betrayal within its own ranks and faces a battle for the fate of the world, ultimately awakening their true powers and restoring peace, though a new threat emerges quietly in the shadows.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Sep. 2026
Why not try to capture the moon using a DSLR camera and a telephoto lens when the Harvest Moon rises and in the weeks that follow to track how the shifting shadows alter its appearance?

— Anthony Wood, Space.com, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of shadows

Verb

Eclipses always travel in pairs as the sun, moon and Earth align so precisely that one obscures the other.

— Marcia Dunn, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026
Rather than blocking the sun entirely, the moon obscures only a portion of it, leaving behind the eclipse's signature crescent shape.

— Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of obscures

Noun

This is a tiny amount, millions of times lower than the atmospheric pressure on Earth, resulting from Pluto's thin nitrogen atmosphere that also contains hazes made from organic molecules including methane and carbon monoxide.

— Keith Cooper, Space.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Scientists believe seasonal winter clouds and hazes in the region may be limiting how atmospheric dust scatters sunlight there.

— Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026

Definition of hazes

Verb

The stream will feature real-time views of the Sturgeon Moon as Earth's shadow darkens its surface in the skies above Portugal and Spain, weather permitting.

— Anthony Wood, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
The planet becomes easier to identify as the sky darkens, making the best time for viewing during the late-night and early-morning hours.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of darkens

Verb

Instead, Cubans turn to the internet, reading abroad what their government obfuscates or denies at home.

— Joseph J. Gonzalez, The Conversation, 9 July 2026
His bad-boy swagger externally obfuscates his heart of gold, but his goodness and morality are apparent.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026

Definition of obfuscates

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cloud nine

clouds

cloudy

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“Clouds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clouds. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of clouds

noun

verb

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